Identification-card and registration-tag holder for motor vehicles



Jan. 26,1926. 1,570,798

L. T. THORN IDENTIFICATION 0W AND REGISTRATION TAG HOLDER FGR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 auvovtm Jan. 26 1926.

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Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

LAw EncE r. THORN, on HARRISBURG, ARKANSAS.

IDENTIFICATION-CARD AND REGISTRATION-TAG HOLDER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. I

Application filed February 19, 1924. Serial No. 693,812.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE T. TH RN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at- Harrisburg, in the county of Poinsett and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Identification-Gard. and Registration-Tag Holders for Motor Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined identification card and registration tag holder for motor vehicles whereby said card and tag may be conveniently arranged in the holder and secured to the vehicle.

The present holder is such as to permit the indicia upon both'the tag and card to be readily viewed and the main object of the invention is to providea holder whereby the small circular shaped registration tag issued to the owners of motor vehicles by the city oflicials of some of the States may be conveniently carried and at the same time displayed.

An additional object is to provide a holder whereby the tag and card may be protected from the weather and dirt and dust, and wherein the same may be sealed within the holder by the official issuing the tag, so as to prevent the unauthorized removal and the subsequent alteration or substitution thereof.

It will therefore be seen that the practice of certain persons engaged in the theft of automobiles will be greatly reduced if not altogether overcome.

An additional objectis to. rovide a holder that may be made a part of the license tag holder shown and described in one of my copending applications, Serial No. 689,281, filed January 29, 1924.

\Nith the foregoing salient objects in view, and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same comprises the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a combined identification card with registration tag holder constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional View,

taken substantially upon the line -33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the line 44 of Figure 1, for more adequately disclosing the holding means per se, for the registration tag, and

Figure 5 is a plan view of a particular form of identification card fordisposition within the present holder.

' Now having specific reference to the drawings, 5 indicates the sheet metal backing plate that comprises an essential part of the present invention. This backing plate 5 is of a eneral shape similar to the shape-of the identification card shown in Figure 5, that is, of general oblong shape, formed upon its upper edge with a central curved tongue portion 5'. This plate 5 may be either formed integral with the outermost channel bar of the upper section of the license tag holder shown and described in the before mentioned application, or the same may be formed upon the lower edge with a forwardly and then rearwardly bent portion to provide a longitudinal abutment 6 at the lower edge of the plate. The material forming this plate isthen bent upwardly over and downwardly for providing a longitudinal channel bar 7 at the back side of the plate and at its lower edge. Offset from this channel bar is a pendant plate or skirt 8 that is flanged inwardly at the lower edge as at 9. This plate or skirt is provided with two more slots 10- whereby a holder may be conveniently secured to a tag bracket carried by the vehicle. b r

. Adapted for sliding engagement over the backing-plate 5 is a removable front plate 11 of a general design similar to that of the backing plate.

The upper side edges of the front plate are bent rearwardly and then downwardly and inwardly respectivelytoprovide guide flanges 12-12 and an overhanging lip 13 for the end and upper edge of said backing plate 5 as clearly shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4.

The identification card 14 to be interposed between the plates 5 and 11 may be of paper, metal, or other material, and printed thereon is the name and address of the owner of the vehicle together with the name and type of the vehicle; the motor number, serial number, etc. This indicating indicia is at the opposite ends of the car and the same is visible through pairs of slots at opposite ends of the front or cover plate 11. Also between the plates 5 and 11 is a strip of transparent material 15, preferably isinglass, for obviously protecting the identification card from dirt, rain, etc.

The flanges 12, 12 at opposite ends of the cover plate 11 and the overhanging lip portion 13 at the upper edge thereof prevents the entrai'ice of dirt, rain, etc, between the plates. v

At the lower edge of the cover plate 5, the same is formed with the name of the city issuing the before set forth type of registration tag. This name is formed preferably by a stamping operation, and the letters making up said name are clearly visible against a darkened portion 14: ot' the identification card, which forms a background.

The cover plate 11 is 'lr'orm'ed at its widened portion witha relatively large circnlaropening 15 concentric with which is a forwardly extending integral ring 16 that is flanged in wardly at its front edge as at 17. The circ'ular shaped registration tag 18, as well as a disc of transparent protecting material 19 is to be passed through the opening in the cover plate for positioning within said ring 16. The tag and protecting plate are maintained against movement within the pocket thus formed by a bowed spring 20, Figure 4.

Passing through the front and rear plates 01 the holder as well as the card 14 and protecting strip 15, at a point beneath the opening in the cover plate are aligned openings through which may be extended a securing bolt 21, that is headed at one end and threaded at its "other end for the reception of a nut 22. The threaded end of the bolt 21 is also slotted whereby the nut may be sealed to the bolt by a suitable seal 23 for thereby preventing the removal of the bolt, the disassembling of the holder and consequent removal of the identification card and registration tag Without the same being at once apparent to oliicers ot the law or other interested parties.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a highly novel and useful form of identification card and registration tag holder and one that will successfully reduce the liability OI" automobiles being stolen and one that may be manufactured as a separate holder to be secured to a license tag bracket or that may be made a cooperating part of the license tag holder shown and described in the before mentioned pending application.

I do not wish to. be limited to the exact structure shown in the drawings and set forth in the specification, insomuch as in the practice of the invention, minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope or the appended claims.

l Vhatl claim as new is:

1. In an identification card and registration tag holder for vehicles, a pair of interlocked cooperating plate members between which the identification card is to be disposed, the foremost plate having openings forn'i'ed therein for displaying the wording on the card, said last mentioned plate memher being formed in the upper central portion with an outwardly projecting projected portion forming a pocket in front of the identification card, and a registration tag mounted in said projecting portion and retained in the pocket by the registration card, said plate in'e'mber having the projec tion formed with a display opening to exhibit said registration tag.

In an identification card registration tag holder for vehicles, a pair of relatively similarly shaped plate members, one of which is to be slidably disposed upon the other and between which the identification card is to be disposed, the foremost plate member being formed with sight openings whereby the wording upon the card may be viewed, means for securing said plates together, a pocket formed in said foremost plate for the reception of 'a registration tagmeans carried by therearmost plate whereby said holder maybe properly secured to the vehicle, said means comprising an offset skirt formed upon and pendant from said rearinost [plate and provided with openings whereby the same may be bolted to the vehicle.

3. In an identification card and registration tag holder for vehi'cles a plate member adapted to be securely fastened to the ve hicle, a similarly shaped plate member adapted to be slidably "disposed upon the front side o'fsaid first mentioned plate and being formed with sight openings for allowing'the wording upon the identification card disposed between said plates to be readily viewed, a. circular shaped open receptacle formed in the foremost plate tor the reception of a registration tag, in front of the identification card, means between the tag and card for projecting the tag toward the front of the receptacle, and means for securing said plates together.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

L. T. THORN. 

